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Large groups of people inside anime/manga stores, a couple of colorful sets of clothes and hair, cameras, and music can only mean one thing: mini-convention! I had the opportunity to meet a couple of friends I hadn’t seen in a while, and even some of my photos hosted by someone who works in the industry! Find out who it was after the break, as well as details behind my experience at AX Live/Desu-Nation’s St. Patrick’s Day Event.
For 2013, I thought it would be nice to re-photograph all of my figures from different perspectives (and hardware) that I hadn’t tried before and never had ready access to. The above shot of this rather famous figure (some of you may be able to figure out who it is right away) is an example of just that, as well as being a preview to something different and fun coming soon. I plan to tie in more background elements with this figure to make the shots more unique and, say, relevant to the subject’s contextual theme. Needless to say, I think the initial teaser results came out great! It certainly helps that she has partially transparent hair.
Having been away for some time with some (positive) career changes and physical relocation, I am now ready to pick up my momentum again with a new season of shows to follow, figure photo projects to commence, and comments to get back to. Stick around for some more posts and feedback this coming week!
There is a lot to be said about the commercial success of the Madoka Magica franchise and its progression since it first aired almost two years ago. And if you were lucky enough to secure a seat for the Friday, October 19th premiere at the Downtown Independent in downtown Los Angeles, you would also see how much popularity it has gained, even in the midst of Style Fashion Week going on across the street at the Vibiana. Like the entire week dedicated to the world of fashion, the Madoka Magica movie premiere will take place for a week until the 25th. And while it may not capture world-renowned fame like Style Fashion Week (just yet), it still shows subtle signs of a discreet subculture’s growth into popular mainstream entertainment.
This isn’t even the full-res panorama of the sea of this year’s Anime Expo, but you can tell that South Hall was packed with eager con-goers ready to check out everything the exhibit hall had to offer. Amazed? I sure was. Especially since I’m usually the one in that sea of people!
Overhaul is the only thing I can think of when it comes to what has happened and what is next for this blog. Over as in a major life goal of mine (Japan) is complete, haul as in there is a lot brewing behind the scenes for the photos I still have yet to release, and the events and anime I have yet to talk about. Did I mention we’re doing test runs for an anime podcast? O_o
It’s been three months since my last anime-related post and a general/photography post, and now I think I’m finally at a point where I’m ready to step back into the world of blogging. The Fall ’11 and Winter ’12 anime seasons have come a long way, and several more shows are ready to air this April. So what’s on my watch list this year?
I might as well be re-watching Neon Genesis Evangelion at this point; at least the philosophical and religious themes worked to create a dramatically dark and moody theme whenever the leads were at their worst. Here, we just get a radically transformed Shu consisting of delusions and mental breakdowns so far left from the buildup of his character since ten weeks ago that I’m about ready to fall out of my chair from disbelief at how badly this show is being handled.
Oh wait, this show being badly handled is old news by now? Where have I been?!
Free time at the office, a coworker’s new Nikon COOLPIX L105, and a demanding Haruhi Suzumiya can only mean one thing: be prepared to be a little saddened that you didn’t decide to pick this camera up for only $100 during this year’s Black Friday specials.
More adventures on the photo-blog side of life at the moment. One of my close friends came back from New York and celebrated her birthday early with some more of our friends from college. I was in charge of photographer duties that night and was thankful to use Kevin’s studio lighting once more to aid in my efforts, as well as grateful for Joana’s parents for allowing me to capture all of the wonderful moments.
Backlogs upon backlogs. Life is grand when you know you have a huge list of things to catch up on. On the anime front, the Fall season is progressing nicely, and most shows are now somewhere between the seventh and eight episode of airing. Still prepping a giant overview of the season so far in addition to photo-blog posts while juggling work and recovering from a nice throat sore. Ailing health aside, otanoshimini!
Hatsune Miku Live Party 2011, Live in Sapporo. Yup, it premiered last night at the our local Century 25 multiplex theater here in Orange, California, as well as simulatenously all over the U.S. in places like Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles (how ironic if held at the Nokia Theater), and New York. And yes, I got to witness it, thanks to some of my awesome friends, Jon and Anthony. Initial verdict: fantastic! The only problem is that once you’ve seen a live Vocaloid concert (with HD character models), nothing else compares. Seeing the Sapporo show on the local big screen didn’t help to break that handicap down one bit, either.
Final impressions in detail when I get around to posting the rest of my experience later today. Hopefully, I’ll still remember all of the new and unique costumes that were revealed, as well as how flawlessly kept the band’s hairstyles seemed to be. Bottom line for now: do yourself a favor and start saving up for the upcoming Mikunopolis in L.A. DVD/BD due out in December if you’re even the slightest bit interested in the Vocaloid phenomenon. You will not regret it. Opportunities like the viewing of the Sapporo show only come around once in a great while, so it’s best to get enough exposure now before the show begins its final run.
Life has a funny way of throwing things at you. In my case, an entire week and a few days worth of familial situations, a major workplace move (and being in charge of possibly the single-most important aspect of a tech company: the tech), and sharing some time with precious friends has taken me away from the steady stream of anime/photo blogging I’d been slowly veering from. Does that mean I’m closing up shop or fading away as a result of the rookie aniblogger’s syndrome of sudden brain fart and disinterest in sharing with the world why I still tsun-tsun and dere-dere over particular shows?
Far from it. As a matter of fact, I’ve been actively watching all the fall anime shows I’ve come to love, attending conventions like DesignerCon most recently, and I’m even preparing for a third convention in the past two weeks. The next few days will be “at-a-glace” posts to consolidate the episodes of each show I’ve been following so as to keep the catch-up duties short and get myself back on track, followed by some photo-blog posts like this one to share with what I’ve really been up to since I last talked about a show like C3 or Working’!!
Our reward for witnessing the big resolution of our first antagonist’s plight and class president’s big reveal: Haruaki and Fear caught in the act… of cube maintenance? Poor Konoha.
The confrontation! I feel like these have come along before, but this week takes another fresh stab at the Yachiyo x Satou dilemma; something I’m sure many a shipper probably took to much delight once again.
Because we think walking around in several circles around one of the two main characters while donning a a fancy red suit and church attire is influential enough to warrant a nearly 47-minute long War of the Holy Grail history lesson. Better yet, let’s drink some red wine while we’re at it.
When the idea of a simple Rubik’s Cube morphs into a concept of a powerful being capable of storing and using any and all torture devices known to man for the sake humanity’s need to punish, you know you’ll be in for quite a rush of a story. Unfortunately, it took me four weeks to begin appreciating this show; on the bright side, now I’m hooked.
I’ve slowly been turning into a Megurine Luka fan since my days at Anime Expo and the Vocaloid experience’s first American debut at Mikunopolis in Los Angeles. So, it was only natural that the merchandise soon followed. But what does this wannabe Luka octopus have anything to do with the actual human-form character? And why do I suddenly have a craving for some takoyaki, as terrible as that may seem in the context of said octopus?
Kodoka asks a question to himself that will probably be the basis for the serious side of this series: are there really friends that can care about each other their whole life?
The Fall season’s most anticipated series finally gets the review treatment here, and what better way to start things off than to not highlight the main female protagonist in the introductory image. Why? Because I think Tsugumi just proved herself to be far superior than damsel-in-distress Inori in both usefulness and overall character introduction. Sorry Inori, but your last-minute class transfer better work wonders next week.
It looks like we’re getting a refresher on what it’s like to merge co-ed and all-female schools together with what I can only assume to be a healthy dose of dangerously provocative antics and harem bouts. Sena-chan does not approve. Yet.
I think we can all forgot how terrible a waitress-in-training Yamada is and how moe Popura is, as long as the show continues to accentuate how awesome Nazuna is as the up and coming helping hand for the restaurant. The way she gets on the good sides of both girls so easily was a character trait sorely missed since this show’s prior season airing. Too bad she’s only taking on the job for community service.
For a club centered mostly around two girls who know absolutely nothing about making and keeping friendships with others, they seem to do a good job at getting along with each other. Looks like we just discovered the next best Kirino-Kuroneko-esque pairing this season can buy after no longer being able to supply our now-nostalgic dose of Oreimo.
It’s so nice to see the girls hitting a stride with their careers. I can understand why their variety show would be such a hit, especially with someone as adorably clumsy as Haruka. At least the crowd was loving every moment of it.
The girl who collapsed at the end of last week’s episode gets quite a bit of screen time as her life reveals the darker side to the nature of politics and economics of their damaged world. Meanwhile, Toori and his classmates continue to think of ways to swoon what apparently is just a placeholder for Horizon’s existence. Who’d have thought the silent type would wind up just being another robot?
Of the three shows that seem to have goofy action sequences (Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon and Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!!) that pass off as overblown comedy, Ben-to finally takes the lead of the three to actually have a decent and recognizable back story. Ironically, all three shows tailor to school environments, but Ben-to takes the fantasy elements prominent in the other shows and just gives us some good old street fighting. Kind of reminds me of a certain YouTube video I watched not too long ago.
A perfect comedy-action hybrid to make a show like IS: Infinite Stratos seem like child’s play. I went in expecting to have lots of character and environmental exposition. I came out after twenty-four minutes with my eyes dried out from rarely blinking so as to not miss the action sequences, and my face hurting from laughing so much. There’s no denying the amusement of a dozen or so powerful students trying to land attach points on their teacher, only to fail miserably each time.
